Mika Hakkinen enters Suzuka 10H in McLaren

Two-time Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen will make his return to racing in a McLaren 720S GT3 in August’s Suzuka 10 Hours.

The Finn will drive with Katsuaki Kubota and two-time Super Formula champion Hiroaki Ishiura in the Pro-Am class with an as yet unspecified team.

Hakkinen, who clinched both of his world championships (1998, 1999) at Suzuka, has not raced since the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup’s 6 Hours of Zhuhai, in a Mercedes-AMG SLS GT3.

“I visited Suzuka Circuit for the first time in 16 years in March 2017 and was able to meet Japan’s enthusiastic fans once again,” said Hakkinen.

“Then, last year, I drove the (McLaren) MP4/13 and enjoyed Suzuka’s unique figure-of-eight track layout. So, this year, I decided to return to racing for the first time since November 2011, and I chose Suzuka Circuit as the place for my comeback.

“Suzuka was also the place where I won the Formula 1 World Championship for the first time and where I have so many enthusiastic Japanese friends.”

The Suzuka 10 Hours, the fourth round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, takes place on August 23-25.